


Within the Quarry

by riizahawkeye



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Denial of Feelings, F/M, FMA:B - Freeform, FullMetal Alchemist - Freeform, I swear everything will be ok, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Lots of riza angst, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, fma, this is essentially pre-ishval Riza??
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:54:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26077531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/riizahawkeye/pseuds/riizahawkeye
Summary: Officer Roy Mustang plans to climb his way to the top of the police force. However, his plans derail due to consecutive attacks from an unknown criminal organization, and it certainly doesn't help that he can't get a certain woman off of his mind.Updated every Friday!(Ending lines and chapter titles are all lyrics found in the Kekkai Sensen OST. I highly recommend giving it a listen.)
Relationships: Gracia Hughes/Maes Hughes, Maria Ross/Sheska | Sciezka, Rebecca Catalina/Jean Havoc, Riza Hawkeye/Roy Mustang, RoyAi
Comments: 3
Kudos: 11





	1. A Moment's Solace

To say East City was uneventful was an understatement. Sure, the lack of crime makes Roy’s job significantly easier, but the lack of work had become irritating, even for him.

Roy rubs his hand over his face and groans. His head is tilted back against the headrest of the seat and his hat tilts a little over his eyes, desperately trying to ignore the monotonous ramblings from his partner.

“Nothin’ ever fuckin’ happens... though I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

Jean Havoc. Oh, _Jean Havoc_. He had been Roy’s best friend for god knows how long. They’ve dealt with each other’s bullshit (more so coming from Jean than Roy) since what feels like day one and despite how much trouble they’d caused each other - intentional or not - their compatibility in the academy was undeniable. Chief Bradley himself had acknowledged this and admitted that they had a great amount of potential.

“I’ll take any opportunity to do minimal work. Let’s at least be grateful that we don’t have to bust our asses every day. An uneventful day is damn sure better than a stressful one.” Roy slides his hands behind his head with a huff.

"I know but... I thought joining the police force would be more exciting. We'd get to track down bad guys and kick their fuckin’ asses. Justice n’ all that shit..." Havoc takes a puff of his cigarette before chuckling to himself. “And when the day comes that something big _does_ happen, you know I’ll be the first one on the case.” He crosses his leg so that his ankle rests on his thigh just above his knees with the biggest shit-eating grin. At this point, it seems as if this was a one-sided conversation. That is until Havoc decided to push a few of his partner’s buttons. “And maybe I’ll get promoted before you do. Just imagining that new title’s got me fired up. _Corporal Havoc_ …” he drags the last part out in hopes to irritate him and smugly glares over towards Roy. “Looks like you’ll be needing a new partner. Falman’s held up in detective work and Furey’s busting his ass with technician work. Looks like you’ll be stuck with officer Breda.”

And honestly, Roy didn’t seem to have a problem with that.

As if on cue, Breda approaches Roy’s window and knocks a few times with the back of his hand. He rolls the window down and Breda rests his arms on the half-opened window. “You guys got anything going on? It’s dead as hell downtown.”

Truthfully, Heymans Breda shouldn’t have been in the position he was placed in. With his level of intelligence, he should’ve been working on cases with higher ranking detectives - or something even bigger than that - but for some reason, he was stuck on patrol with the rest of them.

Breda scoffs. “What do you think this is, Central?”

People that worked in law enforcement in East City were nothing shy of a joke to the other departments in Amestris. It’s not that their work was poor, it was just that they never had the opportunities to show their potential. The most they ever got was a few people going a bit too fast on the freeway. Captian Armstrong in North City never passed up the opportunity to shit on East City - though her biggest complaint was anything that had to do with Roy.

Central, on the other hand, was notorious for being incredibly successful, especially with Detective Hughes covering the majority of the criminal cases. Mustang worked with him in the academy for a bit. He wouldn’t stop talking about his girlfriend - ever - but he was an all-around nice guy. He and Mustang would call on occasion after they were reassigned to different headquarters, though the conversation was usually fleeting, as he’d start talking about his girlfriend over and over again - and that was fine and well with Roy, until he’d persist that Roy go and search for a lady of his own.

“Nothing happens in this godforsaken town. Doesn’t help that this heat is smoldering, even with the ac on in here.” Havoc all but whines.

“That’s because the sun is coming in on your side and you’re too stubborn to move the visor.”

There’s a subtle chuckle from Breda as he raps the hood of the car.

“I’ll leave you too with your _very_ interesting work. You two be safe.” The two nod in response as Breda makes his way back to his car. Roy leans back and watches him drive off before he sighs and checks his watch.

“What a surprise, our shift is over. And here I was _so_ invested in our _hard work_." He says rather unenthusiastically. He shifts the gear and starts heading back to HQ with Havoc.

* * *

The drive back is no more eventful than their workday. That is until they hear Furey frantic over the radio.

“Damn it… we got... uh, we got a robbery in the jewelry store on the corner of Maple and Rogers…”

Furey continues stumbling over his words, but the two had diverted their attention to the fact that - holy shit - this was the breakthrough they needed. Havoc flips their lights on and Roy speeds up, making his way to their inevitable promotion.


	2. Runaway, Far Away

“Havoc. Holy shit, Havoc, this is it. This is _actually_ happening.” Roy kept a tight grip on the steering wheel in an attempt to quell his excitement. Try as he might, he couldn’t help from exuding a determined smile. He knows he shouldn’t be excited over a robbery, but damn it _he was excited_. They both were, for that matter. The two of them had been hoping to get a damned promotion, and there was no way they were going to let this opportunity slip away. Somehow, Havoc was giddier than Roy. So giddy in fact, that he almost forgets to check his weapons.

They’re one of the first respondents to arrive at the scene. The windows remain intact and untouched, as do the front doors. Looking through the windows, there’s nothing visibly missing. The place seems as if it were untouched. Dark, but untouched. However, the store’s blaring alarms told otherwise.

The two cautiously exit the car, guns in hand as they lay low. Havoc gently pushes against the door to see if the burglar had entered through the front doors and was reckless enough to leave them unlocked. Sure enough, the door slowly opens. Upon seeing this, Mustang doesn’t waste time and is already storming in. He raises his gun as he scans around the front room, Havoc following in tow.

The silence was unnerving.

"Come out with your hands up. This is Eastern police.” Mustang snaps, yet there’s no response. Mustang reinforces his resolve and calls out again. He repeats himself. "This is a warning. Come out with your hands up." Yet again, there’s nothing. He signals to Havoc to remain in the front room as Roy makes his way to the back. A few more officers filter in and scan the room just as the two did prior to the arrival of the others.

Mustang slowly creeps into the back and his eyes catch something darting out of the open back door.

“Havoc! Back door!” He quickly grabs the pager on his vest. “This is Mustang; suspect moving out the back door.” He darts out through the back door and meets Havoc and two other officers in front of the empty dead-end alleyway snugged tightly against the back of the store. 

“God damn it, Mustang, there’s nothing out here!” Havoc snaps and Mustang lets out a frustrated sigh. They overhear a superior officer barking out commands, noticeably angrier than he probably should be. 

“Go back and check the building! All of it!” They’re quick to file in through the back door. Havoc makes his way to another sectioned off room where a safe and spare stones were stored. Roy remains in the backroom and frantically looks around. He quickly takes out his flashlight and begins to scan the room again. His eyebrows were furrowed. At this point, he believed this area was empty as if he were the only one in it.

Or so he thought.

Roy catches the glint of something nestled in between the corner of the wall and the opened back door. Had it been an item on display, the placing would have been inconvenient if the door had been opened. The view would be completely obstructed. Not only that but it was higher up than that of the other displayed items. Quickly - yet cautiously - he makes his way over to the source of whatever reflected in response to his flashlight.

And then something bolted towards the door. The culprit was silhouetted by the light coming through the open door, and in that moment, Roy was able to discern the figure. They were smaller than the average build of a man and had curves that a man generally wouldn’t have, so he assumed that the culprit was a woman. He couldn’t see their face, but he could tell that in this one moment they were making direct eye contact. If only he could see closer.

_Damn it, Mustang. You’re wasting time._

Before he could point his flashlight in their direction, the room filled with smoke. He started coughing and waving the smoke away. “You’re not fucking getting away!” He bolts toward the light from the door. He needed this. He needed this to prove that he was more than just a patrol officer. There was no way he'd let this slip away from him. The smoke was clearing and he frantically looks around. To his dismay, there’s nothing there. People file out behind him and scan the area after the smoke clears. They all grumble and sigh in defeat.

“God damn it… We were so fucking close!” Havoc rubs his temples.

“Was anyone able to get a description of the suspect? Mustang, did you see them?”

Roy opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Something comes over him and he freezes up. “No sir. The smoke obstructed my view of the suspect.” There are grumbles in response. A group files out of a nearby police vehicle. Roy’s able to discern Falman on his way to investigate the scene. Havoc puts a hand on Roy’s shoulder and gives him a look. Without speaking, they convey that they need to speak with Falman and get out of here as soon as possible.

* * *

“And you’re sure that’s all that happened? Could you tell me what they were wearing? Hair length? Body type?”

Of course he did. _But why the fuck couldn’t he bring himself to say anything?_ “No, Falman. I’m sorry.” His eyes are glued to the ground. Falman clicks his pen and closes his notebook.

“You’re alright, Mustang. We’ll get Furey in here to check the security footage. You two just go home, ok?” Mustang gives a disappointed grunt and a nod in response.

Havoc pats Falman’s shoulder. “You all be safe, alright?” Falman gives him a half-hearted smile.

“You two as well.”

Roy and Havoc make their way back to the car.

* * *

“ Alright, Roy, what the fuck happened back there? And don’t lie to me. I know when you’re upset.” Havoc settles himself behind the driver’s seat and averts his attention to Roy. He takes a moment and sighs.

“I fucked up our biggest chance to get that damned promotion.” He puts his head in his hands as Havoc pulls out into the street. “It was right there and I just let it slip away. I froze up and didn’t stop them in time.” He chooses to leave out the fact that he definitely saw the suspect. He trusts Havoc, but if word gets out that he withheld vital information from a case, he’d be court-martialed at the very least.

“Don’t stress yourself over it, man. I’m sure we’ll get another chance eventually.”

_I hope you’re right, Havoc._

_I hope you’re right._

* * *

_**Catch me if you can  
** _

_**Oh, darling, you are so charming** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to Ren and my s/o for helping me write this out. Mwah, I kiss u 2  
> Wrote this while listening to Taisei Iwasaki's "Catch Me If You Can" on loop


	3. I Go With The Flow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dog decided it would be funny to step on my keyboard while I was writing this. I've reread it several times just to make sure that there aren't any cryptic dog messages, but keep an eye out just in case.

Exasperated, Havoc pulled into the station and parked the car. He leaned his head back onto the seat, rubbed his hands over his face, and let out a long sigh. “Whoever just pulled that off is no fuckin’ joke. I don’t understand how they could just get away with the number of reinforcements we had. It’s bullshit...” He lights another cigarette and cracks his window down to air out the smell of smoke. “... and I’m sure it won’t be the last time we see them.”

Roy is quiet, mulling over the events - almost sulking. All he mutters a low, “I don’t know, man.” And Havoc grunts in response.

“Damn it! I wanna solve this case so fuckin’ bad!” his voice raises a little, but not enough to startle anyone nearby, least of all Roy. He roughly runs a hand through his hair and sighs yet again. Havoc is clearly agitated beyond compare. Somehow, more than Roy.

“What draws you to the case? You know, besides the obvious.” Mustang glances over at him with a raised eyebrow. Havoc gives a subtle grin.

“This is the only action we’ll ever get, Roy.” A wolfish grin grows on his face and Mustang knows that whatever comes out of his mouth won’t be pleasant. “Well, the only action that _you’ll_ get. I, unlike you, have someone waiting for me at home.” The damn bastard looks so proud of himself.

Roy scoffs. “At least I’m not addicted to nicotine.” He returns the smug grin. To anyone else, this would've been incredibly jarring. But that's just how they talked to each other. Havoc furrows his brows and purses his lips.

“I can quit whenever I want to.” He crosses his arms and huffs like a child before snuffing out his cigarette on the bottom of his shoe, almost as if he were trying to prove his point. “You and I both know that you can make any woman swoon. And don’t say that you don’t have the time to manage a relationship. I know damn well that you just lay around after your shift is over and, if you’re feeling spicy, you’ll go down to Christmas’s. So don’t try that shit.” It sounds like Havoc was chewing him out. Roy knew that Jean came from a good place and had no ill intentions. It was, once again, just how they talked to each other.

Roy chuckles. “You’re starting to sound like Hughes, Havoc. I enjoy the light banter I have with the women I meet at bars, but we both know that I wouldn’t want to take some random girl home. That isn’t my thing. Besides, I may be able to woo a lady, but if I _was_ looking for a relationship, I want something genuine. I wouldn’t want to be seen as just an attractive guy. I’d want someone to actually get to know me rather than try to get in my pants. Besides, I don’t really think that love is my thing. I’m perfectly fine on my own.”

Havoc simply chuckles in response. “Man, you’re a mess. I know you aren’t looking into having a relationship, but this love shit? I’d highly recommend it. You’ll never know if it’s 'your thing' until you get out there and try.” Roy gives him a sigh.

“I think _you’re_ the mess here. But yea, I’ll think about it.” He unbuckles his seatbelt and starts opening the door, as does Havoc. He closes the door and runs a hand through his hair, his bangs slicked back and no longer in his face. “You be safe, ok?”

  
Havoc pats the hood of the car. “Yeah, you too.” He gives a short wave and makes his way back to his car, Mustang doing the same. Someone pipes up in the direction of his car.

“Goodnight Mister Mustang!!” There’s Sheska, waving her arms over her car. Roy chuckles.

“Goodnight Sheska. You be safe, alright?” He starts opening the door to his car. “You too!”

* * *

There was this little coffee shop Roy would frequent before work. Today, he was finally able to sit back and take in the environment. The place was mellow. The walls were brick and the floor was stone. The lights strung across the ceiling were dim, but the room was mainly illuminated by large windows. Dark wooden tables lined the walls accompanied by some rather tall barstools with plush leather cushions on the top. A few lower tables sat around the middle of the floor. Every table had its own arrangement of flowers, each one different than the next. There were leather couches scattered here and there, mostly by the windows. The overall feeling was very warm, inviting, and cozy. 

Roy had woken up relatively late. He was slow to get up, slow to shower, slow to get ready, and slow to eat. Not that it really mattered, as he had the day off. 

Apparently, so did Sheska.

  
As he sipped his coffee, the bell above the door jingled. Glancing over to see who had walked in. He smiled and waved to her. She seems a little startled at first but quickly returns his smile.

“Mister Mustang!” She shuffles over to him and stands by his table.

“Would you like to sit with me?” His head is tilted as he sets his cup down.

“Oh, if that’s alright, yes! Though, I may have to get up soon. I have a few friends coming in soon! We’re meeting to catch up since we’ve all had busy schedules.” She seems very excited.

Sheska was a rather tiny lady. She had messy brown hair that she could never seem to keep down. Her face was round and she had glasses that sat gently on her nose. She had an impeccable memory and could remember the contents of any book she had ever read. However, it was difficult to stop her from reading once she picked something up.

  
  
“That sounds lovely. I’m glad you’re able to reconnect with your friends.” He gives her a warm smile. Roy had always seen Sheska as family. He’d reassure her that she was doing alright when she’d become anxious or tell her that she could always come to him if she ever had a problem. She was also a valuable resource because of her picture-perfect memory. She was more than willing to help him out with cases in any way she could and he insisted on paying her back somehow. They had come to an agreement that in return, she’d get to tell him about whatever book she had been reading at the time. She greatly appreciated that he was willing to hear her ramble about what she was interested in and it made him happy to see her happy. He was like her older brother, and she was one of his many little sisters.

“Mhmm! Oh, do you remember Maria Ross from the academy? She’s coming too!” Sheska’s smile is contagious. Roy nods.

“I think so yes. Black hair? Works under Hughes and Armstrong?” Sheska nods quickly.

“Yeah! She’s coming down from Central just to come and see me! Ah- uh- I mean us. She’s coming to see us.” She’s clearly embarrassed by her slip up. Roy raises his eyebrow with a smile but chooses not to question anything. Not yet. “And she isn’t the only one coming to visit! Capt-”

The bell on the door rings again and Sheska’s eyes excitedly dart towards the door. Roy can’t see who it is before hearing a very shrill and feminine voice.

“Sheska!”

Oh. Oh _god no_.

“Rebecca!” Sheska quickly gets up from her seat and makes her way to hug her friend.

“Oh- did I interrupt something?” She gasps. “Do you have a date?!” Rebecca looks overly excited about the potential that Sheska - the biggest hermit she knows - finally finding a person to date.

“No! No, you’re misunderstanding! This is-” Sheska looks panicked 

_Oh, he knew damn well who this was._

“Catalina, if I were going on a date, I guarantee that Jean would have found out and told you about it.” Roy turns his body to look at the two. Rebecca’s eyes widen before she laughs.

“Dear _god_ , Mustang. And here I was thinking that Sheska was out with some hunk.” She frowns. “But it’s just you.” Roy gives a hearty laugh.

Rebecca was very animated, to put it simply. She was very bubbly and rarely could you see her not smiling. Now, for example, as she was teasing her boyfriend's best friend. For once, her wavy black hair wasn't tied up in a ponytail like it usually was. Her hands sat on her hips and her weight was shifted onto one leg.

“Mmmm, good one, Rebecca.” He says rather dryly as Sheska looks back towards the door at another ring of the door. Roy’s face pales if only for a second before he turns back around with the smuggest smile.

“Miss Olivier!”

Olivier Mira Armstrong stood tall in the doorway as if she were entering a room that was far grander; a meeting with notable authority figures, the military annual ball, etcetera. She was well built. _Incredibly_ well built. She was strong and _terrifying_. Even her closest friends had to admit that she was the smallest bit intimidating. Well, maybe not Becca, but Roy is convinced that Rebeccas was incapable of feeling even an ounce of fear. Olivier's hair was braided over her shoulder, save for the typical strand that sits over her right eye. She approached the group with a very subtle smile, but it was clearly more than enough for the two as she smiled rarely.

Roy was ecstatic. While Captian Armstrong enjoyed teasing - technically bullying - Roy, it never got to him. However, he knew exactly how to get under her skin.

And then her face fell into disgust.

He turns back around. “Captian Armstrong! What a pleasure to see you!” Roy’s smile contains the slightest hint of smugness and she can clearly tell. She scoffs as her face contorts.

“Mustang.” He could hear her scowl in her voice. This is what he was striving for. His kindness was sickening to her, and she made no effort to hide it. “Did you travel all the way from Briggs just to see me? How thoughtful!” She angles her body away from him and towards Sheska.

“Thank you so much for coming all the way down here, Miss Olivier!” Armstrong gives a slight smile.

“It’s never a problem. Besides, it’s been far too long since I’ve gotten to visit East City. Hopefully, we can arrange for North or Central next time.” Everyone knew Olivier had a distaste for the East, so the fact that she actually decided to come was surprising, to say the least.

Sheska quickly checks her phone and momentarily looks melancholic. “Oh,” she clears her throat. “Elizabeth might be running late. Traffic and whatnot.” Rebecca perks up. “Oh, Roy, that reminds me. Has Jean ever told you about my sister?”

Mustang shook his head. “Not that I can recall. Elizabeth? Is that her?” He can notice the slightest of tension between the three. Rebecca nodded.

“Mhmm. She lives on the other side of town though, so I can understand why he hasn’t really talked about her. He still hasn’t gotten the chance to actually meet her yet.” She cracks a slight smile. “He’ll be so mad that you got to meet her before he did, though. At least you’ll have some leverage against him next time you two get into a banter.” It’s obvious that she’s trying to change the mood up a bit.

The bell rings again.

“Maria!” Sheska all but runs towards her and gives her a tight hug. Ross smiles and wraps her arms around Sheska, returning the hug. They exchange a few words that can’t be heard from their distance, but the two of them look very happy. Maria looks around the room and her gaze stops, locking on Mustang.

“Roy? Roy Mustang?” Her smile brightens as she grabs Sheska’s hand and walks over to the table he’s at. 

Roy understands Sheska’s slip up now.

Maria Ross was very dedicated to her job. She was the definition of the ideal officer. But Roy knew first hand that she knew how to let a little loose, even if she'd never admit it. And now knowing now that Ross and Sheska were close made his heart soften.

He smiles. “It’s good to see you again, Ross. I’m assuming Central is treating you well?” She nods.

“As good as it can be when your superior officer is eccentric and notoriously takes off his clothes at the drop of a hat.” Olivier scoffs at the vague mention of her younger brother. “But yes, Roy, I’m doing just fine. How’s it going here? Sergeant Hughes tells me that you constanly complain about it being incredibly uneventful.” She offers him a pitying smile.

“Well, that still stands… for the most part…” He shares a knowing look with Sheska as she sighs.

“How about we go get in line? Mister Mustang, would you save the table for us?” She changes the topic for him, sparing him from the hell Olivier would cause if she knew that Eastern command had just let a criminal get away.

“Of course. Take your time, I’ll be here.” He takes a quick sip of his coffee as the group skids off to the counter.

The mention of yesterday’s encounter soured Roy’s mood. He pushes it to the back of his mind. He wasn’t going to let his shortcomings affect Sheska’s gathering. It made him happy that she had found a group, even if Olivier is apart of it. He knows how difficult it is to put herself out there, so he was proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone. How she managed to tolerate someone as loud as Olivier and outgoing as Rebecca, he'll never know. He was just happy that she was happy.

Ross and Sheska are talking, Olivier is barking out her very intricate order, and Rebecca is very focused on her phone. Roy sits and stares at his coffee cup before checking the time on his phone. He’s been here for about forty-five minutes. Sheska had arrived around the thirty-minute mark. He didn't intend to be here for so long.

His mind wanders to Rebecca’s sister, specifically wondering how late she would be, though that wasn’t any of his business, so he shakes the thought. Though he had to admit, the fact that Jean had never met Rebecca’s sister seems a little offputting. But who was he to butt into someone else's personal life?

Olivier’s drink is finished and in her hand, but she waits for the others, presumably so she wouldn’t have to be left alone with Mustang. Sheska is excitedly watching the barista make her drink as Ross holds her hand, smiling at Sheska’s excitement. Rebecca hastily places her order before quickly turning back to her phone. Whatever it is, it seems urgent. Eventually, she shoves her phone in her bag with a deep sigh. 

They eventually reconvene at the table. Olivier sits as far away from him as possible, sitting across from Ross. Sheska is sandwiched between her and Roy, and Rebecca sits across from Sheska, leaving an open seat next to her, across from Mustang. He leans forward and rests his forearms on the table.

“So, Ross, How’s Sergeant Hughes? Still talking about his girlfriend all the time?” Ross smiles and rolls her eyes which is soon followed by a nod.

“Of course. That’s all he does. Ever.” Roy lets out a hearty chuckle.

“I haven’t been able to call him in a while. Our schedules are inconsistent and always end up conflicting.” He takes another sip.

The bell rings.

Rebecca’s head immediately snaps up and her gaze softens. She slides out of her chair and quickly rushes towards the front door. Roy’s eyes follow where she goes and his gaze meets with Rebecca tightly hugging someone.

This must be Elizabeth.

* * *

**_Truth may be dangerous to know, don't you see?_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


	4. So Sweet and then so Acrid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fought with this chapter for a good bit, so I hope you guys like it <3

* * *

Elizabeth was a fairly well-built woman. Her shoulders were relatively broad. Her muscular arms snaked around Rebbecca's back equally as tight - if not tighter. Her face was nestled into Rebecca’s shoulder, so the only thing Roy could really see was a cascade of blonde hair that faded to brown near the halfway point. Odd. Normally it was the other way around. When she picked up her head, Roy began to study her face. Bright green eyes, a sharp jawline, long eyelashes, minimal makeup; Roy took note of every single detail. He knew he shouldn’t have, but it was in his nature. On top of that, the way that everyone had collectively reacted by the mention of her name alone didn’t sit well with him.

He knew everyone here. She was new.

He turns back to Sheska. "Can I ask who she is? Should I wait and ask her myself?” He approaches this very cautiously, knowing the topic might’ve been rough for everyone. But then again, why would they invite someone that made them uneasy? Sheska had just given him a quick pity filled smile before turning back to Maria. Her eyes seemed to say what she couldn't

Guess that settled that.

He took one last drink of his coffee and stood up to throw it away. As he made his way to the nearest trashcan, he stole another quick glance in her direction, then back to the table. In hindsight, they probably shouldn’t have put two strangers across from each other. Regardless, he knew he was fully capable of making conversation with most anyone. He just didn't want to make anyone uncomfortable.

A few chairs scraped against the floor as most of the group began to sit down. Elizabeth was in line to order whatever it is she might’ve wanted. The silence at the table was concerning, to say the least. That is until Rebecca gave a bright and cheery smile. “I’m super happy you guys were able to make it down here in such short notice! And it’s great that you could join us too, Roy!”

Roy simply smiled in response. “Now, I’d hate to intrude. You all obviously would like to catch up, so I think I’ll head out soo-” He’s cut off by Sheska resting her hand gently on his arm. Her gaze alone was asking him to stay as if she needed his support.

With Sheska this worried, this Elizabeth character concerned him even more.

His gaze shifted to Rebecca, then back to Sheska. His face softens. “I guess I could stay for a bit longer.” He leaned in close to Sheska and spoke barely above a whisper. “If she’s caused any of you trouble, tell me. I can and will confront her if any of you are in danger.”

Sheska sighs and lowers her head. “If we were in danger, you and I both know that Miss Armstrong would’ve already taken care of that. She’s not causing trouble for any of us. She’s just… in a hard place right now. We're just worried about her. I..." she stammers a bit before taking a deep breath. "...I can’t go into detail. It isn’t my place to spread her personal matters. We’re all just worried about her, that’s all.” She firmly restates. Roy seemed to relax a bit. 

It wasn’t his place either. It really wasn’t. But he couldn’t help the fact that his mind was wondering. Was it something he should ask about? Does she need to talk about it with anyone? Clearly he'd forgotten that she had at least five other women to talk to rather than some strange man. Nonetheless, he forcefully pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and gave Sheska a bright smile. “Alright. It's good to know that you’re all ok.” There’s something placed in front of Roy followed by scraping on the floor. Elizabeth takes her seat across from Roy and settles herself in the chair. She picks up her coffee and holds it in both of her hands before gently blowing on it to cool it down. She slowly takes a small sip and quickly brings the cup away from her mouth, reacting to the heat of her coffee. She looks disappointed. Roy can't help but smile a little. He extends his hand out towards her. Their eyes meet.

"I'm Roy." His smile grows. She's quick to set her cup down and take his hand in hers. She seems to stop for a second.

"Elizabeth. It's nice to meet you. You're Roy Mustang, no? Officer Mustang?" She's looking directly at him inquisitively. He can feel her hand being pulled out of his. They're rough against his. Small, but not frail.

Roy's stunned for a moment. Of course she would know who he is. His partner is her sister's boyfriend. She has to have heard of him at least once or twice.

He nods his head. "Yes, that's me. Any particular reason as to why you're asking?" He leans forward a small bit. A million different questions were on his mind and he couldn't seem to pick one out to focus on.

She glances towards Olivier before lowering her voice. "I heard about the incident yesterday. What happened?"

Well, that certainly wasn't what he had expected. Regardless, he gathered himself. His elbow rests on the table and his head rests in his hand. "It's a little complicated." He notices that Olivier seems rather bothered over how close he's getting to Elizabeth. This only fuels his ego. "We all did our best, but the damned guy got away. We were able to get a glimpse of whoever it was, but not enough to get a lead. However..." he lets out a very low and subtle chuckle. "...there's no need to worry, miss. We'll be sure to detain the culprit soon enough. We've got this under control." He straightens his posture. "So, tell me about yourself." Ah. There's the classic Mustang smirk.

"Well..." She smiles faintly. "...I'm a journalist for the Eastern paper, which is why I was so quick to ask you about the case." Her gaze has a hint of pride behind it. "From what I heard, the owners got lucky. The culprit only stole one item, and it just so happened to be one in the store's lower price ranges." She looks around the room. "I know it isn't any of my business, but..." Her eyes come back to his. There's a certain seriousness to them that's unnerving. "...it seems premeditated. Any other criminal would take whatever they could and run, especially with easy access items of much grander values. There's no way this person had shit luck. This had to have been planned. Why they did that, I don't know. I have my theories but I can say without a doubt that we won't be seeing the last of them."

Mustang seems thoroughly shocked. "And what makes you think that?" One of his eyebrows raises.

"Because, officer, there's no way someone would take something small and only strike once. At least, that is what I believe." A smirk spreads across her lips that almost mirrors his. "But as I said, it isn't any of my business."

He can say, without a doubt, that this is not what he was expecting. She was not what he was expecting. And he couldn't bring himself to admit that he wanted more of whoever this woman was. "My my. You're quite presumptuous. What's drawn you to this case, miss Elizabeth?"

If looks could kill, Olivier would have him six feet under thirty minutes ago. She could tell what he was doing; what he always does around new women. He wins them over with what she believes to be nothing but flattery and empty promises, and the thought of him doing that to Elizabeth filled her with a type of rage she couldn't quite explain. Then again, she couldn't hear their conversation. If she had overheard about the failed case, he _really_ would've been six feet under.

"Well, sir, it's the only thing we've got. The only thing in the paper these days is politics and, quite frankly, I'm tired of having to report political members every move. It's draining. But this..." She strikes him with a slight voluptuous gaze, and he'll be damned if he didn't admit that he liked it.

Now, this was a first. Roy Mustang, noted womanizer, having a genuine conversation with a woman he just met and _enjoying_ it. Though he wouldn't let this go any farther than it needed to. Like he told Havoc, he isn't looking for a relationship. This encounter was simply that of light banter.

_He wouldn't let this go any farther than it needed to._

"So, how did you meet Jean?" Elizabeth leans back into her seat and makes a second attempt at her coffee. She picks it up the same way, both hands wrapped around the cup. Judging by her lack of retaliation, it was cool enough to drink.

"Mmm... around the end of middle school, close to the beginning of high school." Roy momentarily laughs to himself. "If you couldn't already tell, he was quite the trouble maker." Elizabeth gave him a bright smile. Seeing her like that made him feel some type of way. Roy made up his mind. 

_Maybe it could go a little farther._

"I'd assume as much. 'Becca tells me about his antics from time to time. It's hard for me to believe that he's an officer." Her laugh was sweet and charming enough to not only keep his attention but leave him wanting more. Roy wasn't planning on having anything intimate with this woman. He simply enjoyed their conversation. That's all. His intentions weren't to make her fall for him, though that wouldn't stop him from acting the same way he would with any other lady he'd meet that he wasn't previously acquainted with. 

He was just making a friend.

"Trust me, it's difficult for me too, and I work with him." Roy sighed with a gentle smile. "He enjoyed going out and meeting new people, and don't get me wrong, I did too - still do, for that matter - but he was... how do I put this..." Roy got lost in his thoughts for a moment. "...extroverted, if you get what I'm saying. He'd trash a party and blackout fairly often. My job was to make sure he wasn't doing things he'd regret and get him home safely. But we were pretty much inseparable." Elizabeth nods. She's intently listening and Roy likes that. He likes that this is real. With the way Elizabeth's friends occasionally glanced over and smiled in her direction, he'd assume that they felt the same way too. Sheska had mentioned that she wasn't in the best of places, so maybe they were happy that she was able to sit back and enjoy herself for once. He was glad he could do that for her. He was _proud_ that he could do that for her. 

Wait, he shouldn't be dwelling on this.

"I mean, not to say that I was a saint either. Just more so than Jean was. I'd drink here and there, knowing that I was far too young to be doing so, but it didn't stop me. Definitely didn't stop Jean." Roy seemed happy to reminisce about past memories. "I'm surprised we never got caught with how often he'd convince me to go out with him to get wasted." His chuckle is gruff and deep.

Elizabeth smiled. "Well, it sounds far more interesting than my high school days. 'Becca would get into trouble here and there, but I was always the quiet and reserved one. The only time I went out was to either pick Rebecca up from a party or to grab food with a few friends." She breathes out softly. "But enough about me. What do you do? Any hobbies?" Her elbow rests on the table and her hand cradles her cheek. Did she get closer? It feels like she got closer.

"Mm, nothing off the top of my head. I've attempted fishing here and there, but I couldn't fit it into my schedule anymore. Then I picked up chess for a bit, but the only person I could play against was officer Breda, and I eventually got tired of him handing my ass to me every time we played." Roy leans forward and mirrors her position on the table. "What about you? What do you do besides begrudgingly write about politicians?" There's that damned sly smirk he always wore coming back for her.

"Well, I took a liking to gardening when I was younger, though I could never keep anything alive for more than a week or two." They both exchange a short laugh, Roy's more of a hum. "But nowadays I mostly read." Her eyes closed and her smile twists into a small yet distinguishable smirk. "And frequent a shooting range from time to time." Ah, that's why she had gained such confidence. "I understand that you're an officer and all, but I have marksmanship that would put any of you to shame."

She must be full of surprises. She's caught Roy off guard more times than he could count. And he _liked_ it. It was fun to have someone keep him on his toes.

"Oh? Well, I guess we'll have to go to the range together and test that, won't we?" His eyebrow raises.

"Mhm. Loser pays for dinner." Was that a wink? Did she just wink? "I'm telling you now, Mustang, I won't lose."

She was becoming stubborn, and he knew that she was testing him. Though her actions hadn't perturbed him, in fact, it only made him want to try harder. This became a game and he sure as hell wasn't going to lose. 

"Just tell me when Miss Elizabeth. I think you'll be thoroughly surprised by my skill with a gun."

_Was this farther than it needed to be?_

She snorts. "Please, you don't hold a candle to me."

Rebecca catches the tension between the two and butts in.

"What are we talking about?" She seems very excited, but then again, that's how she was all the time. "I haven't seen you talk this much in a while, 'Liza, especially with strangers."

Roy turns his head towards Rebecca. "Someone is very confident in her skills with a gun."

Rebecca groans. "Seriously? I leave you alone for two seconds and you're already talking about guns?" Was this a regular thing? Did she talk about guns as often as Rebecca had implied, or was she just overexaggerating like usual? "If she's not working, she's either dismantling and polishing guns or sleeping. There's no in-between. It's to the point where she always smells like gunpowder. It doesn't matter how much damn perfume she has on. It's always there." Rebecca seemed way too bothered by this, but now that she mentioned it, he was able to smell it too. Was that weird? "But yeah, don't get your hopes up, Roy. It's scary how accurate her aim is. I pity anyone who ends up on the other side of the barrel."

It was obvious that Elizabeth was relishing in the moment, but there was no way he'd let her feel like she'd won. Rebecca may have been her strength, but she was also her weakness. He knew exactly how to knock her down a peg or two.

"Well, she's challenged me to test her skills _and_ suggested that the loser pays for dinner." It took a moment for Riza to realize what he had just done, but it was too late to stop it now.

"Liza! Are you actually - _oh my god_ \- you realize that you've made this it a date, right? There's no getting around that. You _totally_ just asked him on a date." 

Elizabeth lets out a heavy sigh and rubs her temples. Roy knew damn well that once Rebecca got started on something, she wouldn't stop until she was satisfied, especially if it had to do with anything of the romantic sorts. Elizabeth gives him the angriest glare he thinks she's capable of. She knew damn well that he had done that on purpose and refused to let him get away with it.

"Oh- oh but wait... 'Liza, you can't go on a date with _him_. That's just asking for trouble." Dear god, she keeps talking and neither one of them think she'll stop any time soon. Roy finds the time to return Elizabeth's gaze. He knows just how much that pissed her off and he was _proud_.

This was the point of no return. He wasn't going to lose.

* * *

**_Baby, I know that you'll never make it_ **

**_Catch me if you can._ **


	5. From One Good Time, to a Problem, to Another Good Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to apologize upfront because boy howdy am I terrible at writing filler, but hey! We get a little insight on the actual plot of the story!

“So you’re telling me, despite previously stating that you aren’t looking for a relationship, that you’re going on a date with ‘Lizabeth?” Havoc slowly paces around the room. Rebecca sits on the couch and watches her boyfriend go back and forth in front of the coffee table. Her lips are pursed, trying to keep herself from smiling or laughing at Jean with a cocky ‘I told you so’.

“I can go on a date and not want a relationship, Havoc. Besides, she’s got spunk. Rebecca says she’s good with a gun and I want to see it for myself. The date is just an added bonus.” Havoc could hear his smirk through the phone that sat on the table between him and Rebecca.

He let out a loud sigh - probably louder than it should’ve been, but he was frustrated and confused and quite frankly, he didn’t care - then sends a sharp glare over at Rebecca. “And you let him meet her before me? Not fair, ‘Becca.” He puts up his best pout but she isn’t buying it. That much was evident by her usual bright smile.

“It’s not like this was planned. He just coincidentally happened to be there. Not my fault that you had work.” Her shrug was nonchalant. Jean felt somewhat defeated. He crashed onto the couch and curled up next to her, leaning his head on her shoulder.

“How could you be so cruel to me…” He occupied his hands by thumbing over the fabric of her shirt. He let out a satisfied hum when her hands made their way to his hair. 

“However, I did find out something peculiar.” Jean recognized that tone. It was only used when Roy was relaying information or was becoming rather inquisitive over a certain topic. His hands stopped moving and he waited for Roy to continue. “She seemed very well informed on yesterday’s incident and very invested in the culprit’s motives. She even went as far as to claim that they’d strike again.” Jean hummed to himself, mulling over the information Roy was feeding him. “She knew details that we weren’t even informed of, Jean. Something about that isn’t sitting right with me.”

Jean could feel Rebecca's shoulders tense. “What are you implying, Roy? You think my sister would rob a damned jewelry store and then just openly tell you all of this?” Rebecca didn’t sound angry or upset. Her tone was more that of mocking him, but Jean could tell that something about Roy's comment had bothered her. Rebecca had every right to be offended by Roy's claim. Elizabeth was her sister, after all. He'd been told stories about their antics throughout elementary school, their struggles in middle school, and more details about their high school days than he would've liked. Though, some of what he'd learned would be wonderful ammunition against Elizabeth, should he need it, but now wasn't the time for that.

“I’m not saying she’s the one that did it, but she very well could’ve been an accomplice. You've seen how fit she is. Who knows what she's capable of.” There’s a short yet awkward silence before he barks out a laugh over the line. “I’m pulling your leg, ‘Becca. At most I’m implying that she has some inside source, and even that’s a stretch. However, that being said, I can always try and ask if she's found out anything else on our little adventure.” Havoc couldn’t help but roll his eyes at Mustang’s smug ass demeanor. “Ah- hold that thought. I’m getting a call. I’ll talk to you two later.” And then the call ended.

Jean let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. “Good grief. That man’s going to get himself killed if he keeps poking his nose into everything.” He frustratedly rubbed his temples.

* * *

"Hughes? What's up?"

"Yo! Roy! How are things? You doing ok?" Roy opens his mouth to answer but before he can get anything out Hughes continues to talk. Truthfully, he isn't surprised. "Look, I need to talk to you about something. It's pretty important so I need all of your attention, alright?"

Roy could never quite wrap his head around what the actual fuck was going on most of the time when he talked to Hughes, but he knew better than to try and ask questions. It would only make their conversations more tedious and confusing. "Yeah, I'm here. Go ahead." Roy began to settle himself for the inevitably long monologue he was in for. If he was going to be sitting in on a long conversation, he at least wanted to be comfortable. He lit the fireplace and took a quick swig of his water.

"I think Gracia might be pregnant."

Roy choked and fell into a coughing fit. Hughes made sure to give him a moment while his best friend struggled for air. No big deal. Roy was quiet before he took in a big breath. "You what? Hughes, tell me this isn't just some joke."

"Not this time, nope. But if that really is the case, you're going to be the godfather. No exceptions." This was all happening way too fast.

"Slow down. One thing at a time. Why do you think she's pregnant?"

* * *

“Give me a second Jean, I’ll be right back. And yes, before you ask, I’m ok. I just want to go bother ‘Lizabeth about her little date.” Rebecca shoots him a mischievous smirk. “And you’re not allowed to listen in. I know you’ll relay my plans to Roy, and that would ruin everything.” She dramatically crosses her arms.

Rebecca catches Jean’s small smile. It’s pure, genuine, and Rebecca swears that she just fell in love with him all over again. “Alright, alright. I’ll be here if you need me. But try not to take too long, alright? I’m overdue for some ‘Becca time.” He made her laugh. Jean was such a dork and she loved him for that. She loved everything about him. Except for his snoring, that was definitely something she could go without. She plants a small kiss on his head and stands up. Her wrist is tugged back and she finds herself stumbling into another kiss, albeit fleeting. God, did she love Jean Havoc.

Once in their bedroom, Rebecca let out a very deep and overly dramatic sigh. She landed on the bed with a small bounce before fumbling with her phone and bringing it to her ear.

Elizabeth picked up almost immediately.

“Rebecca?”

“Hey, Riza, we need to talk. Got a minute?” Rebecca made sure to keep her voice low. There was no way in hell she could make up an excuse if Jean had overheard her call “Elizabeth” by her actual name. She hated that she had to hide things from him, but this… this was something not even she should have known, let alone tell other people. It was a lot, like, _a lot_. Her friend’s situation was that of one of the novels Rebecca liked to read. Except it was very real and frightening and had a severe lack of romance - though that could soon change.

“Am I in trouble?” There was a slight humor to her tone. 

“Yes actually, so I’d appreciate it if I had your full attention. If you were focused on your guns, forget that.” There’s a pause followed by a sigh and Rebecca hears a few things clang on the other line - presumably Riza setting down one of her guns.

“Alright. You have my full attention. What’s up?”

“Jean and I just got off of the phone with Mustang not too long ago. He said a few interesting things about you, so I thought you’d like to know.”

“Rebecca, did you seriously only call me to talk about him?”

“I think he’s onto you, Ri.”

There’s a thick silence. “What makes you say that?”

“He talked about how you had a lot of information, implied that you had access to inside sources, and joked about you being an accomplice in yesterday’s shit show.” Rebecca switched the phone over to her other hand. “You need to be more careful.”

Riza sighed. “It’s better for him to assume that I have connections to some intel rather than him know what actually happened.”

“It would be better if he didn’t make assumptions at all. I’m worried about you, Ri. You better have some plan to throw him off or convince him otherwise on your little date this week. Speaking of which -”

“No. No, we are not talking about this. The entire goal of seeing him again _is_ to throw him off, ‘Becca. That’s why I suggested it to him. And it is _not_ a date. It’s an opportunity to gather information. That and…” Riza didn’t need to finish for Rebecca to understand. _Make sure he doesn’t think you’re the culprit_.

There’s another rough patch of silence.

“Hey, I know it’s late, but you should come over. It’ll distract you from the hell that I know is running around in your brain. You’d finally be able to meet Jean, too. ” Rebecca wasn’t expecting her to agree. She’d already had enough on her plate as is.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll be there in a bit. Don’t expect me to show up in anything nice. I’m already exhausted from having to put on that stupid facade earlier.” Rebecca snickered.

“Come on, Ri, I think that kind of attitude suits you." She teased. "Thank you. It’ll be fun. If you’re nice, I’ll let you bring a few of your toys to show off to Jean. He’s into firearms too, ya know? Though, nowhere near as much as you are. I don’t think anyone could match your love for guns. Honestly, it’s kinda concerning, ‘Lizabeth.” She reverted back to using her alias knowing that she’d be around Jean soon. They couldn't afford to take any risks.

Riza's silence worried her. “Hey, don’t worry too much. Things are going to be ok.”

“Right, thank you, Rebecca. I’ll see you soon.”

Rebecca loved Riza. She really did. Truth be told, she had already seen her as a sister. It wasn't hard to keep up this act other than changing her name and appearance. She couldn’t do much to help with her current situation, so she offered up her home as a place to get away from it all. It was the least she could do.

She got up and stretched before striding back to the living room and plopping next to Jean. "Elizabeth is coming over. I hope that's ok." She knew it would be. Jean would be beyond excited to finally meet her. And to Rebecca's luck, he was.

* * *

“Mustang!” Roy’s head turned to an unusually chipper Havoc. There was a spring in his step and the way he carried himself made him seem a lot lighter.

“Hey, Havoc. It's too early for you to be this happy. What’s got you so excited?” Mustang raises an eyebrow as he shoves his hands in his pockets. They start walking to their patrol car together.

“I got to meet Elizabeth last night.” Havoc swings the passenger door open and eagerly sits himself down. “The girl knows her way around guns, that’s for sure. She brought a few of hers over and let me check them out, and I must say, she has quite the arsenal. Then, as soon as I gave her guns back, she showed me how fast she could dismantle and reassemble them. I’d be surprised if she wasn’t a firearm buff.”

“Well,” Roy grunts as he sits into the driver’s seat. “She sure opened up to you. Are you sure we’re talking about the same Elizabeth?” Roy chuckled a little.

“What, Mustang, are you jealous that I got more genuine Elizabeth than you?” Roy raises an eyebrow and glares toward Havoc. “No, I’m pretty sure she’s the same one. Blonde hair, goes down to brown. Brown eyes and bulky arms? Well, bulky everything, really. How much do you think she can bench?” Havoc continues his train of thought, but Roy can no longer follow.

Did he say she had brown eyes?

“Havoc,” Roy interrupts. “Elizabeth has green eyes.” And Roy would know, what with how long he was staring into them yesterday - truthfully, more than he'd like to admit. And he never would.

“Roy, they were brown. Maybe more like an amber.” Roy can see Havoc peer over at him. “You doin’ ok? I don’t know how you could mistake that shade of brown for green, especially in broad daylight.” 

“I’m telling you, Havoc, they were green. I know for a fact that they were.” Ah- he probably shouldn’t have mentioned that last part.

“You know for a fact, eh? And tell me, Mustang, why is it that you know this?” Roy didn’t have to look to know that Havoc was smirking. He could hear it in his voice just fine.

How was he supposed to respond to a question like that? _I know this because I looked into her eyes longer than any other woman I’ve been around. Because I couldn’t bring myself to look away, and frankly, I didn’t want to. Because everything she did took my breath away and she captivated me to the point where I had to remind myself that I wasn’t interested in a relationship._

“It’s polite to maintain eye contact during a conversation. It shows that you’re actually listening.” He watched Havoc slowly turn towards him. 

“Bullshit.”

“Havoc, please. I already have enough on my plate because of Hughes-”

“That’s complete bullshit and we both know it. You don’t hesitate to gloat about whoever you had been out with previous nights. Not to mention, you have a date planned with her. So why now are you being subtle about it? Why now? Why her?”

“It’s not a date-”

“ _Bull. Shit._ ”

Roy sighed. "I'm not going to argue with you over this. Before you even ask, no, I don't have feelings for her. I already told you that I'm fine with living the way that I am."

"Are you really, though?"

Roy grumbled. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

The night air was cool and chill against her skin. Nights in East City were always pleasant and Riza tried to take full advantage of them as often as she could. She enjoyed the serene quiet and the songs of crickets and cicadas when she would stroll around the neighborhood. It reminded her of her home back in Resembool. She hadn’t been there since she was around fifteen. Her father eventually sent her to East City so that she’d have better educational opportunities. A bigger town had more people, and with more people came bigger schools. Much bigger than the one she attended back home.

That felt like so long ago. As much as she missed home, she couldn’t bring herself to dwell on her past for too long. Moving here was a blessing. At least, for a while. Forcing herself to dismiss her thoughts, Riza dug her keys out of her bag to unlock her front door. Once stepping inside, she shrugged off her jacket and placed her keys in a bowl on a nearby table. 

She was ready for bed. Today had already been exhausting enough. She originally had no intention of asking Mustang on a “date” when she showed up. It was purely meant to be coffee with friends. However, when she realized who exactly had joined them, she couldn’t miss this opportunity. 

She was simply doing as she was told.

Riza entered her living room with a sigh.

“There you are, Miss _Elizabeth_.” Riza jumped. Two people were sitting on her couch. “It wasn’t very nice of you to keep us waiting like that.”

She tightly closed her eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t have taken so long if I knew I was having guests.” She rubbed her temples. This was _not_ how she expected her night to go. “What do you want this time?”

“Bradley wasn’t satisfied with your spoils from yesterday. He’s expecting you to make up for it. He also asked that we accompany you so to make sure you don’t pull another stunt like last time.”

She never knew their real names. She only knew what she had to call them. The taller man, Greed, sat idly while the other, Envy, informed her of their orders from Bradley. Any other person would have known him as Bradley, the Chief of Police who oversaw all of Amestris. Little did they know that he was orchestrating practically every crime in the country. Riza didn’t know why. She was never told and likely never will be. But she had fallen victim to their tyrannical bullshit a few months back and was unable to escape. It’d put her life on the line if she were caught attempting to do so. They’d already threatened, blackmailed, and beaten her until they got what they wanted. Only recently did she commit her first full-blown crime, and she hated herself for it.

“Again? Already?” She can’t say she didn’t expect this. That’s why she had warned Mustang about it earlier. She knew she couldn’t reach out to anyone without her friend’s lives being at stake, so for them, she’d grin and bear it. Anything to keep them from getting involved in this hell.

“Yes, again. But lucky for you, Greed and I will be doing most of the work. You’ll just act as our hostage.” She swallowed hard.

“Hostage? For what?”

“We’re going big this time, Miss Riza. We’re hitting the Eastern bank.” Riza’s mouth went dry. If anyone found out she had been apart of this, she’d most definitely be arrested, and prison life was not something she wanted to experience. 

“And if I say no?”

Greed chuckled. “Riza. My dear, _lovely_ Riza." He stood up and strode over to her. His rough and calloused hand slowly stroked her cheek before tightly grabbing her jaw. "You already know that answer to that.” 

_You don’t have a choice._

* * *

**_Nowhere is safe for me to hide from you, my love._ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's block is kicking in super hard but I'm gonna push through because I can't let these ideas go to waste ;) Also I'm excited to write Maes development ;))  
> (Resembool Riza has been a big headcanon of mine for a while now and I have nothing to back it up)


	6. Foolproof Winning Odds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally forcing myself to adhere to a posting schedule! Within the Quarry will be updated every Friday from now on!
> 
> This one may be a little messy so apologies in advance.

Mustang halts the car to a stop and hastily bolts out toward the entrance of the bank, Havoc following in turn. They aren’t the first to arrive - thank god. The two file in and stand between the other officers, filling in windows of space to keep the culprits from escaping out of. Mustang drew his service weapon and he quickly scanned the area.

“Pull anything and I’ll shoot.” Another man not too far off holds a woman by her throat with a gun pressed to her head. _Damn, no one mentioned this was a hostage situation_. “You wouldn’t want any casualties, would you, officers?” The man’s sly grin was sickening. Robbing a bank was bad, sure, but threatening another’s life was a completely different story. What’s worse is that he seemed like he was enjoying it. 

His hand that clasped around the hostage’s throat was incredibly tense. The knuckles where white, showing just how tight his grip was. On top of that, the woman was struggling to breathe and audibly choking and gasping for air. Her hands were desperately prying at his but to no avail. What Roy assumed to be the hostage’s personal belongings were spilled on the floor around her feet along with a revolver not too far off. An odd choice for, presumably, a self-defense weapon. 

His eyes ran over the woman within the man’s grasp and Roy’s heart stopped.

_Elizabeth. God damn it, that's Elizabeth._

That’d explain the gun. Most people with a concealed carry license - which he didn't doubt she had - dawn pistols should they need to defend themselves. They’re more practical and easier to manage. Only someone confident enough in their aim would bring a revolver.

_At this rate, she'll definitely kick my ass at the range_. But now wasn't the time to think about that. “Havoc!” Roy calls out, his voice rather frantic. His eyes didn't leave hers and he noticed that they shot open at the mention of Jean.

“Yeah, I know.” He could hear the anger in his voice as Havoc spit out his words between clenched teeth. Roy had barely known Elizabeth - he couldn’t imagine how Havoc must have been feeling. “Guess you were right about her eyes, Mustang. Even from back here, they’re unmistakably green.”

* * *

Riza’s eyes dart in between Mustang and Havoc. _No. No, they shouldn’t be here. They shouldn’t be involved in this_. 

Envy lowly hisses in her ear. “Oh? Did I hear him right? Mustang’s here, is he? Lucky me." She turns her head away from him, but couldn't make it far enough with Envy's hand choking the shit out of her. "I’m sure Bradley won’t mind a few casualties. What do you think?”

_Damn him. Damn this bastard_. “Leave him alone. He’s not apart of this.” She was barely able to choke out her words.

“Ah ah, Miss _Elizabeth_. That’s where you’re wrong. You brought him into this when you decided to get close to him. You brought this upon him.” His voice drips with poison. 

"She's right, Envy. You know Bradley's had his eye on him for a good while. If he's put out of commission, I'm putting all of the blame on you." Envy only huffs in response.

“Let her go, you bastard.” Havoc yells. “If you don’t comply, we _will_ be forced to shoot.” 

“And risk shooting an innocent girl? How cruel of you.” He laughs. Envy was getting a kick out of all of this. Riza knew they wouldn’t kill her, they weren’t allowed to. However, that didn’t mean they wouldn’t hurt her. She hated to admit it, but she was afraid they might. Greed wouldn’t, that wasn't his thing, but Envy was unpredictable. He did everything on a whim. As long as it wasn’t any place vital, he didn’t have a problem roughing her up.

“That’s enough, Envy. Let’s go.” Greed stalks over to them. “We're gonna go pay Bradley a visit. Do be good, _Elizabeth_. And try to stay out of trouble. I don’t want you getting too close to that Mustang guy. You belong to us. Don’t forget that.”

_I don't belong to anyone, you sick freaks._

He pats Envy on the shoulder. Envy’s hold on her throat tightened even further before she was roughly thrown to the ground. The impact rattled her and it suddenly became hard to hear. Riza heaved for air after the air that was knocked out of her lungs. Everything was a blur. There was shouting mixed with gunshots, but Riza couldn’t make out anything. She was eventually pulled into someone’s arms. They were talking to her, that much she could tell, but whatever they were saying was a mystery. Her eyelids were getting heavy. She fought to keep herself awake but eventually succumbed to sleep.

* * *

“Elizabeth! Damn it, Elizabeth, stay with me!” Havoc cradles her limp body in his arms. The majority of the officers have cleared out and were chasing after the two culprits. He and Mustang stayed behind. Havoc couldn’t bring himself to leave her side, and apparently, his partner couldn’t either. Roy crouches down in front of him and he starts checking her head for any visible injuries. He grimaces and pulls his hand away - his fingertips covered in blood.

“The side of her head is bleeding.” Mustang chokes out.

His head snaps up and meets his gaze. “Mustang. We need to get her to a hospital now..” Havoc stands up and adjusts his hold on Elizabeth. He and Mustang hurriedly take her to the car. Roy slides into the driver’s seat while Havoc sits in the back with her, making sure she doesn't get injured any further.

“God, please hang on Elizabeth…”

* * *

when Riza comes to, she blinks a few times, somewhat spaced out. She brings her hand up to her forehead and massages her temples. _Shit. What the fuck happened?_ A nurse steps into the room and quietly closes the door behind her. 

“Hello, Miss Catalina.” She offers Riza a warm smile. “How are you feeling?”

She sits up a little. “Well, my head hurts, but I’m pretty sure that’s a given.” The nurses smile turns bittersweet. Ah, that’s right. The incident at the bank. Did Envy have to throw her that hard? He didn’t even need to throw her in the first place.

_Thanks_ _, asshat. Now I’m in the fucking hospital._

“Are you feeling up to having guests? Two men are waiting in the lobby to visit you.” She tensed up.

Two men? It couldn’t be Greed and Envy, right? They couldn’t travel to Central and back that quickly. Then again, how long had she been out? A day’s time _would_ be possible if they hurried, but not likely if they had to work some things over with Bradly. Two days would be risky.

“I believe they’re the officers the brought you here.”

Riza blinked, eyes wide. “Oh, yes. Yes, that’s alright.” Right, she could remember an officer picking her up before she blacked out. They must have taken her there themselves rather than calling for an ambulance - which she was honestly grateful for. That’d save her a fortune in medical bills. What she didn’t understand was why they had stayed. She’d have to ask them herself when she got the chance.

The nurse gave her a short nod, stepped out, and quietly closed the door. Once alone, Riza tilted her head back and closed her eyes.

_T_ _his is a fucking mess_. Sure, Envy and Greed had put her through a lot in the past, but it’s never gone this far. And as much as she hates to admit it, Envy was right. She’s gotten Mustang and Havoc involved. Her thoughts were interrupted by a couple of knocks on the door before it was opened.

_Speak of the fucking devil_.

Havoc and Mustang quickly shuffle in and she’s never felt more relieved. “Hey ‘Lizabeth.” Havoc scoots a chair over to the side of the hospital bed and sits next to her. Mustang leans against the wall behind Havoc. “How you holding up?”

“I’m hanging in there. How are you guys?” She musters up a small smile.

“We’re fine. Mostly worried about you.”

“Thank you for helping me, by the way.” Her hands fumble with the thin sheet. “You guys didn’t have to stay.” 

“There’s no way I could go home without making sure you were ok. I wouldn’t be able to sleep, and god knows ‘Becca wouldn’t let me either. Speaking of which, We’ll probably be back later today after she gets off of work, so prepare yourself for an overwhelming amount of questions.”

Riza silently nods. “You guys wouldn’t happen to know how long I’ve been unconscious, would you?” She looks up at Havoc and he looks back at Mustang.

“About two or three hours.” He turns back to her and slouches back in his chair. “You hit your head pretty damn hard back there. Well, that bastard did.” Havoc huffs in frustration and crosses his arms. “That being said, Roy told me something yesterday.” He takes a moment before staring her down. “How did you know about this? How did you know these people would pull another stunt?”

Well, that certainly wasn’t what she was expecting.

Riza’s fallen silent for what feels like forever.

“Can you keep a secret?”

* * *

_**Even if you hide it, you have something to protect.** _

  
_**I’m scared because I realize that much.** _


End file.
